The present invention relates to an electrocoagulation printing apparatus for reproducing an image by electrocoagulation of ink and transferring the image thus reproduced onto a substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,629, discloses an electrocoagulation printing apparatus including opposed frames, a cylindrical positive electrode, coating means, ink feed means, a printing head, and a pressure roller.
The positive electrode is rotatably supported between the frames. The positive electrode is provided at its outer peripheral surface with a passivated surface defining a positive electrode active surface.
A printing head includes pin-like negative electrodes, and is supported between supporting bars extending upward from the frames. A gap of about 50 .mu.m is formed between the outer peripheral surfaces of the negative electrode of the printing head and an outer peripheral surface of the positive electrode.
The coating means coats oily material on the surface of the positive electrode. The electrocoagulation printing ink which includes the coloring agent is injected into the gap from the ink feed means. When the negative electrode is electrically energized, multivalent metal ions are generated from the positive electrode, and dots of the coagulated ink representing a desired image are formed on the surface of the positive electrode.
The pressure roller is rotatably supported between brackets extending from the frames in a lateral direction, and transfers the coagulated ink from the surface of the positive electrode to a paper web, thereby printing the desired image on the web.